Hughes pleased with returns
11 Jul 2007 - 10:22:37
Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes was pleased with the comebacks of Robbie Savage and Andre Ooijer from long-term injuries during Tuesday's friendly victory at Wrexham.
Rovers won the match at the Racecourse Ground 2-1, but Hughes was more concerned with the fitness of the pair, who both suffered broken legs during last season and spent lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Both Savage - who scored from the penalty spot - and Ooijer came through 45 minutes unscathed and could feature in Rovers' forthcoming Intertoto Cup campaign.
"It was important for them to get some game time and they obviously wanted to stay on a little bit longer," Hughes told the Blackburn Citizen.
"But I thought 45 minutes, given the fact they've been out for so long, was exactly what they needed, and they will play again at the weekend and that will bring them on again, like it will with the rest of the squad.
"In fairness, they've been working hard right through the summer so they are probably in better shape than the majority of the squad.
"But obviously what they are lacking is match fitness and that's what we are trying to put into them in these pre-season games."